the best things in life aren’t things

Saturday night was a rough one.  She wasn’t screaming or anything, there was just no deep sleeping going on.  Anyway, Greg and I went for a boat ride:

You can see the cruise ships when you exit the canal:

We saw dolphins:

Did I say we are having beautiful weather?

We went to Ron Jons and walked to the beach.  It was so crowded!!! Much more crowded than I expected.  I mean, it is 80 degree but the water is freezing!!

Macy’s feet in the sand:

Macy and Daddy by the surf

Family picture!

Macy was okay at first when we dipped her toes in

It took her 5 seconds to  muster up a wail

She will thank me later

Her grandparents are having a blast!

Christmas Day we decided to go to Florida with Greg’s parents.  It was a little stressful for me, because I have a cold and we haven’t taken a trip with her before!  I should have known, Greg was wonderful as usual and unloaded all the Christmas stuff from the car and got us all packed.  He was SO EXCITED to be able to take a vacation.  Macy was fantastic the whole ride down, not a peep out of her! 

It took us a VERY long time to get here, because of traffic, but once we got here, it was great.  We unpacked and went to Sunset Cafe for dinner.  It is on the water, and it is a great view, not so great food….

Mary and Glen were brave and took Macy for the night.  Greg and I got some GREAT sleep.  I woke up and took some medicine and went back to sleep…. I was feeling kinda crappy.  Greg and Glen worked on the boat and Mary watched Macy.  Once I woke up we went to lunch/dinner at Milliken’s Reef, a VERY COOL new restaurant.  It was a little more fancy than I thought it would be, but the food was phenomenal.  I hope we go back!

While we were there, the cruise ships were leaving, so we got a few pictures by the water:

When we got home, Greg was DYING to get Macy in the "hot tub" (we had the temp turned down)  He couldn’t wait to try out her floaty seat.  SHE LOVED IT!

 Here she is with her Grandaddy:

Macy in her Christmas Dress

Dahler family Christmas Picture

Dahler Cousins

My family

Kisses for Macy

Jace and Macy

Jace giving Macy a kiss

The cake Glen bought…. it was 20 lbs of chocolate!!

Macy riding to Florida!  Can you see her with her hand on her face?

This morning’s weather was BEAUTIFUL!!!

Macy had a great Christmas.  Her Daddy bought her a few things, but my co-workers will not be surprised that I stuck to my word and didn’t buy her anything.  SHE DOESN’T NEED ANYTHING!  She got  bunch of girly clothes (SO CUTE!)

Macy’s Mommy & Daddy also had a great Christmas.  We were supposed to have a "scaled back" Christmas this year (yeah right…)

Some highlights include: and Ipod (now I am not the only person in the world without one!) Guitar Hero for Wii, Madden 09 for Wii, CUTE Coach purse, and a Blue Ray DVD player.  Those are just the highlights…..  I can’t even remember everything else.  We are so blessed, I went home and cried.  Seriously.

Christmas Eve my family and Greg’s family met up at North Metro for the Christmas Eve service.  It was very nice!  We also got to see Brooke and Baileigh…. OH MY GOSH if Macy is half as cute as Baileigh I will be happy, she is GORGEOUS ( looks just like her Momma-lucky girl!)

After dinner the Copponex’s took us to Bonefish Grill.  Greg and I have never been there before.  The food was absolutely fabulous.  The service was awesome, and we had a great time talking about old memories, and Christmas pasts.  After dinner- they headed to a neighborhood Christmas party and we went to my Grammas.  We didn’t stay long, I  feel a cold coming on!  Sarah was amazing-as usual- and took Macy for the night.  Greg and I got a great nights sleep.  We woke up at 6 and opened presents with my family.  After we were done we headed over to the Copponex’s.  We had "cupcakes" (pancakes) and opened presents over there.  We took showers and got dressed in some new clothes and headed to my Grammas.  We ate lunch, exchanged presents, and visited for a while.  We also took a lot of pictures.  I will post pictures later when I download them.  After THAT we went to Greg’s Aunt’s house for dinner.  It was amazing, as usual.  I was REALLY tired, so we left a little early.  We had decided to go to Florida that afternoon, so we had to go home and pack!!  We packed up and got to bed about 11.  Macy didn’t let me sleep very much, but I had to stay up so Greg could get some sleep to be able to drive!

We are at Big Canoe!  It is so wonderful to come up here.  Greg and I were married here, it is so beautiful and peaceful.  We have come up to Big Canoe the weekend before Christmas for as long as I can remember.  It gets me in the Christmas mood, and it’s so relaxing.  We came up a night earlier than we usually do, because we had the time, and I am off…   Greg and I bought my mom the John Adams DVD series for her birthday, so we are about to sit down and watch it.  Well, I will sit down, but I will probably not watch it.  I am ready to go to sleep!

Getting ready to go somewhere for a weekend with Macy is an adventure that’s for sure.  The car was packed to the brim!  I mean, we did have Sarah and her stuff, but we didn’t have the dogs!  Macy had more stuff to bring than Greg and I combined. 

Before we left we had a photoshoot for our Christmas card.  Oooooooh boy there were some FUNNY ones. 

Wow, we made a pretty baby

We are by NO MEANS on a routine, but I think my body is starting to adjust.  I am very excited to report I have lost 30 pounds, which, while good, is only half of what I want to lose.  (I want to weight less than before I was pregnant!)  It’s weird, I got stretch marks, AFTER I had Macy.  I need to see if they fade, or if there is something I can do about them. 

Sarah has been coming over to spend the night, and let me tell you…. those nights are h-e-a-v-e-n.  She is a total GODSEND.  She is so great with Macy, I think Macy might even think she is me!   The nights Sarah is here, we get some GREAT sleep.

I have to say again how wonderful Greg is.  He is just a natural dad.  We call each other "Mommy" and "Daddy".  It has made me fall in love with him in a whole new, wonderful way.  

He has been amazing helping me through my "baby blues"  For my pregnant friends who read, this is VERY real, and VERY weird.  I have been weepy, and sad- sometimes with a reason, most of the times not.  I can’t put into words how much I appreciate Greg.  Wow.  I love my little (and big) family

I know I have let ya’ll down.  My bad.  Somehow sleeping is just more important…   if it makes it any better I write a post in my head everyday of what I would be saying!  No, that really doesn’t make it better….

It’s amazing what you let go once you have a baby.  I can’t find my phone.  And for the people who have called me, that is obvious, I haven’t used it in forever.  I just don’t care.  I am so tired.  I am actually sleeping A LOT during the day, but it seems like I just can’t catch up.  

Let me try to go back over the days as best as I can.

Wednesday we had Macy at 9:06.  The first group of people to come in was our parents and sisters.  We got some great pictures of their reactions.  Next, we had all of the rest of our friends and family back and told them it was a girl.  Here is the video link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2jNlSbq83g

Everyone left except my mom, dad, sarah, chelsie and my aunt julie.  We hung out for a bit, and had to wait a while to move to our room.  I think it was about 1-2 AM before we got in our room.  I didn’t sleep that WHOLE night.  I just sat there an stared at her and attempted to breastfeed.  She was NOT having it.  That girl was so strong, I was literally pinning her down.  Not fun at all….  But she was really good that first night, I just held her and sang to her and let her daddy sleep….  (poor daddy on the rolly couch :/  )

The next morning, Sarah came up and brought us Chick Fil A.  The nurses had contradicting ideas on when my IV could come out.  The night nurse told me I did so good going by myself to the bathroom the first time, I would be fine to go the next two times on my own and to let them know when I went the 3rd time.  The morning nurse said I still had to do two "voids" so there i was, chugging water so I could get that dang IV out.  Out it came, but my hand is still brusied from the several attempts they made.  Showering was awkward, I was a little disoriented so I sat down on the bench the whole time… (talk about strange!)  Sarah went to school and my mom and Mrs. Linda came by.   Gina came by also, and so did Ashley, between her finals   CJ and Lance came by around noon but I was OUT.  I think Glen and Mary came by next, and then my Aunt Laurie, Kailie, Sarah and my mom came by.  Rick and Steph came by in the evening.  That night Greg let me sleep and he stayed up with Macy.  At this point, I started using my "star wars" contraption as Greg called it.  It is really an SNS (supplemental nutrition system- google it!)  Breastfeeding was SO PAINFUL.  I will spare you the nasty details.  But it was nasty.  Macy did not like latching on at all…  plus, the way she sucks is SO WEIRD. 

Friday morning, I was ready to GET HOME.  They had to do a hearing test (she passed) and they had to do the discharge instructions.  They seriously must deal with some dumb people, but I understand why they have to be so through.  My mom helped us get packed up, and off we were, me in the backseat and Greg driving….  driving very carefully I might add.

We got home and I went straight to bed.  Greg’s mom had cleaned up the house a bit and got us some groceries.  I slept until my parents got there with Carrabbas….. yummmmmm.  Dad went back home, but Mom stayed.  She got to witness first hand the nightmare it was to breastfeed Macy.  We just were not jiving.  The rest of the night, I gave up and started pumping and giving it to her in a bottle.  

Saturday… we got up, Greg went to breaskfast with his family and they came over (including Granny and Gene) to see the house and meet Macy.  Granny was sick so she couldn’t hold her, but Glen and Lisha got to hold her for the first time!

That afternoon I took a nap, was still pumping (ACCCKKKKK) and Matt and Lily came over with Trip.  He is 2 months old, and SO BIG compared to Macy! Sarah came over and we all went to Lance and Desiree’s to watch the SEC championship game.  Yes, we took our 4 day old to a party.  She was fantastic!  Sarah spent the night with us and ohmygosh.  It is like Heaven when she is here.  She is so great with Macy and she is a night person anyway….  I was still getting up every few hours to pump, but it was so much easier to get up and be able to laugh with someone.  I guess I should talk about the pain.  The only things that hurt were my hand from the IV (only when I pressed it/knocked it on something) my youknowwhats from pumping, and my stiches when I sat a certain way.  Annoying things include having to fill up the squirt bottle with warm water everytime I had to pee, remembering to take my ibuprofen, remembering to eat and to drink lots of water, and the LEAKING….  I was sleeping with tons of towels….  lots of fun….And I will be honest again…. I was crying.  A lot.  I know it was worrying Greg, because that is not like me.  But pregnancy hormones are no joke,and the pressure- and pin- from breastfeeding was a huge weight on me.  Add on to that, I don’t recognize this strange body in the mirror, and I can’t catch up on sleep.  He was so amazing though.  We were talking the other day about how I can’t imagine doing this with any other person I dated.  I just couldn’t have had children with anyone else.  He is so wonderful at taking care of me, and Macy, and the dogs.  Just everything. 

Sunday we just lazed around until the afternoon and my Uncle Walter, Aunt Bev and Annie came by.  Greg went to a Christmas party and boy, did I miss him.  I was texting him… please come home soon.  I was so emotional that he was GONE.  I missed him so much, and I felt like I needed him desperately, even though Sarah was there. 

Monday morning, we had to get up EARLY, Greg had a 7 AM meeting.  Somehow, we were only about 5 minutes late.  We are really good about getting out of the house on time!

This entire week I have been going to my parents, sleeping, and taking care of Macy when I am awake.  When I am asleep, either Mom, Julie, or Greg is taking care of her.  Two days Gina has come by to love on her for a few hours.  

Tuesday I made the decision to go completely to bottlefeeding.   I would love to have an in depth conversation about it in person, but there are to many details to try to write it all out.  It just wasn’t for Macy, or for me.  However, now I am dealing with engorgement (if you are a guy, DO NOT google that)  I am running a slight fever and I have some pretty bad headaches.  I have also slept a lot today.  Ibuprofen doesn’t help much, but for some reason cabbage leaves do.  I feel like Eve. 

It is almost 9 PM and I am wiped out.  I still don’t feel "caught up" on sleep.  I probably never will….   Sarah is here tonight, so we get to sleep…. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh she is such an angel.

I leave you with a picture of Macy.

If you have any questions about anything, leave them as comments!

So my last blog I had written RIGHT before my contractions started to get crazy…

Greg got home, I was running around the house (as best I could) finishing cleaning, packing, and getting something to eat.  

The contractions were SO HARD to keep track of.  I called the doctor’s office to see if I could have my appointment moved up or if I should just go to the hospital.   They wanted me to come in, because I didn’t sound like I was in real labor.  About 5 minutes into the car ride it started to REALLY hurt.  I was trying to work through my breathing, but it was pretty difficult.  By the time we got to the MOG exit Greg had called the doctors office again to tell them that we were going straight to the hospital.  I am going to be transparent with you- I must have a very low pain tolerance.  I was breathing, but not correctly because I was losing feeling in my hands.  I was also slamming my hand against the window or the car door (when I didn’t have a death grip on it)  I also had a death grip on Greg’s hand.  I haven’t asked him if that hurt yet.  Luckily he wasn’t panicking, I sure was. 

I realized I had to go to the bathroom SO BADLY, so we stopped at my parents house on the way to the hospital to drop off the dogs and for me to pee.  HAHA TMI (Sorry Dad- but I was in SUCH a hurry I walked in on him peeing…. no our bathroom doors don’t have locks)

Anyway….  I went and sat there for a while because I couldn’t get up.  My mom and Aunt Julie came in, gave me a pep talk and we were out the door.  But first… someone had the idea to take a picture.  YAY

And off we went, the short 5 minute drive to the hospital that felt like 5 hours.  Greg pulled up, went to get me a wheelchair and came back and said… there’s not one in the elevator!  (He hasn’t listening when the tour lady said you had to push a button on the wall to call for help.  I sat in the car and waited for about 15 mintues for them to find a wheelchair.  Somehow I must have had a break in pain because I took this picture of this lady and her ugly capri pants and cowboy boots….  eeeeeeeeeew

I digress…. Anyway, I also took a picture of the clock it said 2:25.  Literally, my contractions were never stopping, they would just start.. in 5 seconds be EXTREMELY painful and wear off slowly for about 25 seconds…. 5 seconds of relief and BAM-MAJOR pain.  

They wheeled me in,  I had my eyes closed, I was sooooo uncomfortable.  They took my to L&D room 4.  It was a huge room, and they peeled my clothes off and put me in a gown.  This is where ALL modesty goes out the window I guess.  They were trying to ask me questions but I think I was ignoring them, and ‘trying’ to breathe.  I think the first thing I said was EPIDURAL and they tried to start and IV.  Notice I said tried…..

One vein they went completely through, and about 3 collapsed.  They were going back and forth between both arms, different people trying to find a vein, finally I looked and Greg and said… Get someone who knows how to do this please…  and they did.  But between breathing, Greg answering questions, me saying "epidural, epidural, please now, epidural" instead of hout like I was supposed to it was chaos.  It took about 30 minutes before they got the IV in.  Immediately they must have known I was crazy so the head nurse said give her TWO SHOTS of fentenal.  (I spelled that wrong…. and I need to google it!)  It immediately ‘took the edge off.’  I could feel the contractions, but my eyes weren’t rolling back into my head.   It took a little while to finish all the admittance questions, but I had to get a full bag of fluid before the epidural anyway. 

The midwife- Pam- came in to check me.  I was 3.5- 4 cm dialated.  They said…. "I guess we won’t send you home " (not the time for humor)  This cute little man came in for the epidural (YES!) and started asking the same questions (grrrrrr) but I didn’t mind as much at this point.  I told him I didn’t want to see the needle, he said I wouldn’t.  Literally- it was painless.  I guess that was the fentenal.  I was so relaxed and relieved to get the epidural.  I think this was when we started calling parents and updating them.  Both sets of parents came up about 5:30 and visited for a while.  They went to dinner and Pam came in to check me, I was at 6 cm and when she broke my water I was at 7.  Time to wait a little more…. la di da…. no pain… nothing. This is a picture of me after the epidural

We started calling even more people, friends, grandparents etc.  We were just waiting around now to push.  About 7pm I was 10 but she wanted to let the pressure of the babies head move it down the birth canal instead of me pushing (fine with me!)  About 8:30 I felt the pressure and Pam suited up to catch the baby.  HAHA

Greg is making a movie from the pictures we took during the delivery.  It was awesome.  He had the camera set up behind my head so we were in focus and everything else was blurry in the background.  I pushed about 5 times and at one point her heart rate dropped a bit so they put me on oxygen between pushes.  Each contraction I would push 3 times for 10 seconds.  I kept asking if I was doing it right because I literally couldn’t tell.  Out it came at 9:06 PM.  Pam wanted Greg to tell me what the baby was….  He looked and said… "I don’t know you tell me!"  He didn’t know how swollen babies privates are they are born.   I said…. IT’S A GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Okay I am crying now looking at this picture, look at how happy Greg is……

 This was my GOOD JOB kiss:

More to come………….

I was having blogging issues over the weekend… I couldn’t get my page to load- so I started a Blogspot account.  It is a little fancier… and I am not quite ready to switch over yet.  But, if you can’t access the blog for a few days, try www.copponex.blogspot.com

We had a fun weekend.  Sarah came over last week to help finish up the porch.  They got a good bit painted, but it is still not completely done.  I am so proud of Greg and his dad, they did a great job.

Chelsie came over Friday night and that was so nice.  It is great to have company come over, so it’s not just Greg and I, waiting for me to go into labor!! haha  Chelsie said "I’m going to laugh you into labor!!"  Well… you can see how that turned out… but she definitely did make me laugh a lot.  You can not be in a bad mood around Sarah and Chelsie.  GAH I just love them to peices.

Saturday we woke up early (SATURDAY HAS A MORNING?!) and Greg made the girls a Waffle House breakfast.  We got ready for the day and made our offerings for the feast… baked Macaroni & Cheese and Corn Cassarole (both recipies doubled!)

Headed over to Mom & Dad’s and visited with the fam.  I ate WAY  WAY to much, I got very uncomfortable…  I went to lay down and everyone followed me!! hahahaha  The baby put on a show for everyone (Christian’s face was priceless when it kicked her)  We left there and went to the Copponex’s for dinner (more food?!)  The whole ride there, I was feeling "funny" about every ten minutes.  When I got to their house, I laid down and whatever it was stopped.  I was still pretty uncomfortable, and kinda out of it.  Went home, took a bath and hit the hay around 10.

Sunday… we didn’t wake up until 12!  Like… 12 noon.  I couldn’t believe it.  I slept so well, it was great.  We cleaned the house, and watched some football.  We were both getting so bored, so we went to Lowe’s and got our tree!  I will post pictures tonight.  It is so beautiful!  Greg is an excellent tree picker.  We also bought a cabinet for the babies room, so now… once he finished painting the other rocking chair the room is done… and there will be more pictures!!! HAHAHAHA

I am having a lot of Braxton hicks contractions.  Greg can’t keep his hands off my belly.  If I had a dime for everytime he said "When is it coming"  "How are you feeling" or "Where are you going" I would be a rich woman.  He is so excited he can hardly stand it.  I am going back and forth, with just getting it over with, and not feeling as big as a house, and with how BAD it will HURT.  And it hurts…  i just have no idea….

waahhhhhhhh

Saturday was another busy day.  Greg has finished up the porch, except painting and shingling.  We are debating on whether HE will do it- or someone else.  While he and Glen worked on the finishing touches, I had my very last shower- thrown by my Auntie Cathey and cousin Anne.  I am totally set now!  I have anything and everything this baby could possibly need, except parents who know what they are doing!! hahahahaa

 It was so nice to see all of my family. FUNNIEST part of the shower… I got a wedding present!! hahahaha  Ms. Suzy still had not seen me since the wedding- which is SO SAD because her neighborhood and my in laws is on the SAME STREET!! haha  That shows you how busy we make ourselves… :/

We also watched some funny home movies… man was I a little chunkster.  I mean…. WOW.

I will try to post some pictures soon!